


Sanctuary

by RuckyStarnes (GracieForeth)



Series: Misc. Avengers One Shots [10]
Category: Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-11
Updated: 2019-06-11
Packaged: 2020-04-24 12:08:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19172983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GracieForeth/pseuds/RuckyStarnes
Summary: Reader intrudes on the pair to stay the night without much of an explanation, but has no choice when she wakes them during the night from a nightmare





	Sanctuary

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: slight description of abuse, nightmares

“Hey Buck, did you want yours spicy or no?” Steve called from the kitchen to the living room, where Bucky was sitting on the couch playing video games. Steve could hear the volume cease before Bucky called back.

“Sure, but not overly, like you.” Then the sound resumed with slight cursing making Steve chuckle as he mixed the crema and spices together. Just as he was about to plate the food, there was frantic knocking at their door, making Steve knitted his brows together before taking large steps towards the front door. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Bucky had stopped the game, a glock in his hand already as he stood waiting for him to open the door. A silhouette could be made through the barely sheer curtain from the glass that trimmed the door frame as Steve leaned over to reach for his shield, stopping when a familiar, a voice called out.

“Steve. Bucky. Please, open up.” It was almost panicky sounding, the door knob jiggling with the words.

Steve unlocked the door, shield forgotten, revealing their teammate, Y/N, her hair mussed and eyes red. Despite the warm night she was shivering in her oversized sweatshirt and flannel pants. She didn’t wait for Steve to even utter the words to have her come, pushing past him as she waved to Bucky.

“Put that away,” she gruffed, her voice sounding deeper than normal, her hand shaking violently.

“Y/N?” Steve never seen her like this, and she had been in some rather grisly scenarios where she walked away like she just did a menial task like laundry or getting the mail.

“I’m fine Steve. I just...I need to sleep her tonight,” she whispered, stopping at the stairs, her head hung. “Please.”

Steve looked at Bucky, who was wearing the same concerned look that he had.

“Sure,” Bucky answered first, “first door on the right.”

“I remember,” she replied softly as she started to ascend the stairs.

Both men were now at the foot of the staircase, watching her disappear and heard the door close, perplexed by what they witnessed. Bucky turned his wrist, checking the time.

“Think we should at least offer something to eat or drink?” he asked softly, never tearing his gaze away from the top of the stairs.

Steve rested his hand on his lover’s lower back and shook his head. “Let her be. You know how she can get when she wants space. C’mon, lets just eat and let her come to us.”

“She’s not a dog, Steve,” Bucky grumbled, not liking that his friend was acting odd and in their spare room. He didn’t say much more as he walked towards the kitchen mumbling under his breath, things that Steve couldn’t catch.

“What did you say Buck?”

“I said, she’s not our girl anymore, either,” Bucky grumbled, turning towards Steve, but his eyes were at the stairs. Steve swore he could see a bit of hope in his boyfriend’s eyes, as if he was waiting for her to come down.

“I know,” Steve sighed, taking Bucky’s hand, “but we all agreed to stay friends.”

“I’m starting to regret letting her go.”

“Me too.”

**~*~**

They had settled in bed later, neither had heard from Y/N since she arrived nor did they want to bother her to see if she was okay. Between the two of them, they would know if there was anything a foul with their heightened senses.

“You think she will be here in the morning?” Bucky asked softly, marking his spot in the Lovecraft collection he was reading before setting it aside to look at Steve.

Steve looked up from the magazine he was thumbing through, giving the brunet a shrug and a frown. “Not sure. Y/N wasn’t one to really divulge what bothers her. I don’t see it start---”

Steve’s words were interrupted by what sounded like a broken sob, making the two men share a look before they slowly crawled out of bed to go investigate to see if it was an awake Y/N or not. Before they could even get into the hallway the muttered words broke the sobs, pain evident in each syllable.

“No...Jack. Please. Stop.”

Steve and Bucky shared a look and hastily walked to the spare room that Y/N took resident in. Bucky walked through the door first, shocked to see she was still in bed, her eyes screwed shut in a painful manner, her forehead had a sheen of sweat, and her body twisted and contorted amid of what seemed to be a nightmare. Steve stopped next to Bucky, eyes wide. Neither had seen Y/N so vulnerable or in pain in their time together. The blond strode over to the bed and sat on the edge, his hand tentatively pressed onto one of her shoulders, shaking her slightly.

“Y/N,” he said softly, worry dripping off the one word as he watched her thrash in the sheets, her limbs getting tangled in the twisted cloths. “Y/N,” he repeated, this time more forcibly, his other hand coming up to cup her cheek. Bucky had made his way to the other side of the bed, taking resident on the mattress, taking her hand in his flesh one, rubbing small circles on the back of her hand.

“Y/N, sweetie. Wake up.” Bucky’s words were almost a plea, tearing at Steve’s heart.

Steve could feel the shift in her heart beat and her breathing, her eyes squeezed tight as her hand came up as if to rub her face, but instead her fingers wrapped around Steve’s wrist and she tried to bring her leg up to wrap it around his neck, but the sheet kept her in place. The look of sheer terror on her face was enough to surprise both men but also anger them. Sure, they have went their separate ways seven months ago, but did she really forget how they were? Even in the state of sleep?

“Stop it, Jack!” she called out, tears streaming down her cheeks now, the phrase making Steve’s stomach feel uneasy.

“Hey, doll, it’s us,” Bucky soothed, his hand moving over her hair and down her cheek, “It’s Steve and Bucky. Jack’s not here.” Steve could hear the pain and anger in his lover’s voice just as plainly as he could see the hurt on Y/N’s face.

The words soothed her, making her go limp under their touch before curling towards Bucky as her body was wracked with sobs, her grip tight on the brunet’s hand. Steve rubbed her back before laying next to her, his arm instinctively going around her waist, pulling her close to him. Her whole body shook as she cried while both men stayed quiet, giving her time. After what felt was a few moments, she sniffed as her body relaxed in Steve’s grip, pulling Bucky down to her to join them. Steve felt odd as it had been so long since the three of them were this intimate.

“So sorry,” she mumbled, her face buried into Bucky’s chest. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll be fine.” Her words were meaningless as she held onto Bucky with a death grip and never moved away from Steve.

“You didn’t wake us,” Bucky shushed, his hand moving over her hair, fingertips pressing into her scalp.

“What’s going on?” Steve asked cautiously, his lips brushing against her bare shoulder, right next to the strap of her tank she was wearing.

“Noth---”

“Don’t say nothing,” he growled softly, his grip tightening around her to keep her to him. The words died on her lips and she remained silent for some time before answering.

“I’m leaving Jack,” she whispered, making Steve and Bucky share a look and both agreeing silently to let her talk at her own pace, only asking for questions for clarification.

“I’m sorry I asked for space,” she sniffed, nuzzling Bucky’s chest to hide her face. “I’m sorry I didn’t want to share anymore. I was selfish.”

“No, baby girl, you weren’t. We asked too much from you,” Bucky said softly, hating to see the woman they both loved, still love, apologize for something that was unknown.

“No you weren’t. I was asking too much. I wanted the attention on me. I wanted what was considered average because I couldn’t share our relationship with anyone who didn’t understand us.” Y/N sniffed again, turning this time to be on her back, her arm flinging over her eyes to hide from both of them. “Jack...I thought Jack was going to be the one. He was perfect. He was the two of you in one person, and I didn’t have to share him with anyone.”

“We’re sorry if we made you feel unwanted,” Steve whispered, his arm still over her stomach as Bucky continued to pet her hair, hand smoothing over her hair as his looked her over with sorrowful eyes.

She just shook her head dramatically as she took a shuddering breath. “What I saw those six months ago was a farce. He was...awful and controlling. I...I couldn’t leave.”

“Does he hit you?” Bucky asked carefully, looking at Steve with murder in his eyes, and for once, Steve contemplated on joining the other with getting rid of Jack Rollins.

“No, but...I’m an idiot.”

“No you’re not,” Steve whispered softly.

“I am. I’m a fucking spy. I should have seen it coming,” Y/N retorted, her arm moving so she could look at Steve. “He’s manipulative and plays my emotions. Why couldn’t I see it?

“Well, you see it now, yeah?” Bucky chipped in.

Y/N nodded as she looked back up at the ceiling, her eyes glassed over. “Why are you guys in here?” she asked softly, “I...I hurt you two. Why would you…”

“You were calling out for him to stop,” Steve replied, “we didn’t know at first you were sleeping. Thought maybe you were on the phone.”

“No. That bastard is in my head,” she replied quietly, “the threats, the names. He use to say...say that he was the only one that could be with me. Especially everyone knew that...you two didn’t want me.” She choked on a sob as she curled in on herself, her knees into Steve’s chest, making herself as small as possible.

“Is that what you were dreaming about?” Steve asked softly, his hand running along her arm softly before lacing his fingers with hers and bringing her hand to his lips, kissing the knuckles. “We never not wanted you.”

“We only wanted you happy,” Bucky added, “and you made it clear you weren’t.”

“And we stayed your friends because we had no hard feelings of you leaving.”

Both men placed kisses to her head: Steve to her forehead and Bucky to the crown.

“I am just scared that he’s going to actually do something now that I’ve left. Hell, I left everything there. My SHIELD gear, my citizen passport. I grabbed my wallet and keys and phone.” She relaxed again between them and just sighed in a defeated manner.

“We’ll get your things tomorrow,” Bucky replied reassuringly, “but you need to sleep.”

“I don’t wanna be alone,” she whispered.

“We’ll stay with you.” The way Steve said it there was no protesting allowed.

“Okay.” Her voice was soft and airy, like she was starting to fall back to sleep and Steve could see that Bucky took up running his fingers through her hair, soothing her in a way only he could.

“Sleep. We’ll keep you safe. Just relax. We got you,” Steve whispered and he felt her do just that, relax in their embrace. Tomorrow they will deal with Jack and getting her things back. Tonight, they were going to make sure their girl was taken care of and was protected.


End file.
